Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells

Category: Tribal Welfare & Governance | GS Paper II

SEO Title: Forest Rights Act Cells: FRA 2006, Gram Sabha and Tribal Land Rights in India

UPSC Notes

The Forest Rights Act, 2006, recognises certain forest rights of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers. FRA Cells provide administrative support for implementation of the Act.

  • Legislation: Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

  • Nodal ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

  • Rights recognised: Individual forest rights, community rights and community forest resource rights.

  • Gram Sabha: Initiates the process of receiving and verifying forest rights claims.

  • Higher-level committees: Sub-Divisional Level Committee and District Level Committee.

  • FRA Cells: Help prepare claims, digitise records and reduce pending applications.

  • Associated initiative: Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan, launched in October 2024, according to the source.

  • Funding development: The source records sanction of 324 district-level, 90 sub-divisional and 17 state-level FRA Cells across 18 States/UTs in June 2025.

  • Implementation challenges: Pending and rejected claims, documentation difficulties and coordination among administrative bodies.

  • 2026 developments: The source describes plans to revamp the cells into one-stop coordinating units and scrutiny of cell closures in Odisha.

Key Pointers for Prelims

  • FRA was enacted in 2006.

  • Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal ministry.

  • Gram Sabha initiates the claims process.

  • Community Forest Resource rights are an important component.

  • FRA Cells support implementation; they are not a substitute for the statutory decision-making process.